The painting of mechanical parts may be accomplished by manually placing the parts on an underlying platform, applying paint to the exposed surfaces of the parts, allowing the parts to dry and then individually turning the parts over onto the platform and applying paint to the remaining unpainted portions. When painting a large number of parts, this procedure is very time consuming. In addition, the procedure is expensive because typically the parts are inverted by hand.
Conventional apparatus and methods have been disclosed for engaging and supporting a workpiece. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,681,835--Evans, et al, there is disclosed a wire mesh jig board for preparing electronic assemblies including a pair of spaced apart parallel screens which are adapted to receive pin pairs therethrough for engaging an electronic cable to the board.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,817--Pavlovsky, there is disclosed an apparatus for engaging an irregularly shaped workpiece including a lower support plate having holes therein arranged to receive vertical support members of various heights to support a workpiece for retention thereof in a fixed relationship with a support plate by an upper opposing clamp.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,478--Hennessey, there is disclosed an apparatus for supporting a workpiece in a selected position including a base having openings for receiving pins therein which support the workpiece at a desired orientation relative to the base.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,046--Papa, there is disclosed a guide frame for the retention of slideable articles wherein the guide frame includes top and bottom members each having opposing cantilevered ribs terminating in opposing parallel spaced apart bars which form top and bottom channels for receiving and engaging the article therein.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,621,807--Rendich, there is disclosed an apparatus for positioning and retaining display devices including a base member having spaced apart openings therein for receiving support members at predetermined locations to engage and accurately position a display device on the base.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,980--Terai, et al, there is disclosed a system for adjusting the position of a plurality of jigs for supporting several workpieces in proximate relationship prior to welding the workpieces together wherein the controller moves the jigs vertically to form a support conforming to the shape of the workpiece for receiving the workpiece thereon.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,820--Schiler, there is disclosed a rotary table for rotatably supporting workpieces thereon wherein threaded support elements are vertically adjusted relative to the table to receive and support the workpiece thereon.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,178,168--Abernathy, there is disclosed an apparatus for positioning and supporting a container including a base having receptacles therein for receiving and supporting upright dowels to receive an inverted box thereon in order to perform operations on the box.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,181,858--Daniels, there is disclosed a support for a workpiece including a plurality of yielding members which are resiliently biased to a vertical position, but which yield to a portion of the workpiece extending below the plane thereof when the workpiece slides across the top of the support, and then which return to an erect position.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,251--Perkel, there is disclosed an apparatus for coating articles including a container having a rotary shaft supporting opposing adjustable arm members forming a grid structure for engaging the articles therebetween, and a sprayer assembly for applying a solution to the article as it is rotated in the container.